RhythmBee Festivals

What a wonderful news story a RhythmBee Festival makes! Here is one example:

On May 4, fifty-four fifth grade students from the Oakdale School District gathered at the OISD Central Office. They were participating in an event very much like the Spelling Bee that began many years ago and continues strong today. This event is a competition, but it doesn't select one winner. It does demonstrate and reward competent musicianship by award-winning rhythm counters.

Carol Lively, Elementary Music Lead Teacher, said that the music teachers prepared these students for an intense morning of reading and performing rhythmic notation. The system they use allows them to perform any rhythm. They use a set of syllables invented just for this purpose. The result is quite extraordinary to an outsider.

The students showed both nervousness and confidence as they gathered to display their talent. After two warm-up rounds, the Festival began with each student counting in turn at moderate speed. That was followed by a competitive round at a faster speed, and yet another competitive round at an even faster speed. This final tempo seemed frantic, but the students were prepared for even that challenge. They tapped their feet in unison to keep a steady beat, and each one performed in turn. (The remarkable part of the process is that each student had less than two seconds to see the rhythm before beginning the required performance.) The performances were evaluated by three of OISD's high school music teachers, much like the students will experience next year when they begin participating in state association events.

Karen Gilbert, Bryant Elementary Music Teacher, said that the teachers had taught the students the concepts involved with each rhythm, and it is possible that a student could draw a measure identical to one studied. But it is more likely that the exact rhythms were new to each student. Concerning the level of accuracy, Mrs. Gilbert said, "In music, every musician must perform at a very high level. Even a 90-95% accuracy rate results in a highly objectionable performance. So the students learn the importance of accuracy, precision, and personal responsibility."

At the end of the performance session, each student was presented with medals earned by correctly reading and counting the rhythm that was randomly assigned. Judging from the medals awarded, the level of accuracy was well beyond the normal "passing" level. Some students earned three medals for correctly counting rhythms at all three speeds, and those students qualify to move beyond the district level to a regional RhythmBee Festival. All students earned at least one medal, and most had two or more.

This is the second year for this event in OISD. Perhaps this model of quick thinking, personal achievement, and participation in a group should be a model for other educational efforts. If the rest of the fifth grade students are close to as proficient as these representatives from each elementary school, it seems that the Elementary Music Program has figured it out.